Date of Conferral

2016

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Information Systems and Technology

Advisor

David Gould

Abstract

Rapid diffusion and use of smartphones in Africa are challenging, given the state of its infrastructural facilities. The problem addressed was a lack of information on the adoption behavior and the sociodevelopmental effect of smartphone acceptance among rural and urban users in Nigeria. The purpose of this study was to examine the adoption behavior and the sociodevelopmental effect of smartphone acceptance among rural and urban residents. Research questions examined the relationship of performance expectancy, social influence, price value, and habit on adopters' intentions to use smartphones, continued use of smartphones, and the sociodevelopmental effect on smartphone users lives and standard of living. The theoretical foundation of the study was based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, and expectation confirmation theory. A nonexperimental cross-sectional survey design was used to collect and analyze data obtained from the target population of approximately 14 million with a sample size of 385 based on 95% confidence level. Survey data were collected using a research instrument developed by Bhattacherjee, Venkatesh, and others and analyzed via multivariate regression. Findings indicated that the positive effect of performance expectancy on intent to use smartphones was stronger among urban than among rural dwellers. No other location-moderated relationships were found. There was a strong positive correlation (β = .761, p < .001) between intent to use smartphones and continued use of smartphones. The findings of this study may promote social change by providing valuable data to service providers and regulators for realignment of investment strategies and the reevaluation of national policies on communication technology development.

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